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100&Change | Eliminating River Blindness in Nigeria

1,965 views · Published 30 September 2016 · 1:31 · Indexed 20 October 2026

Channel: The Carter Center · 2016 · Nonprofits & Activism

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A leader in the eradication and elimination of diseases, The Carter Center is working to eliminate river blindness in six nations through health education and mass distribution of the medicine Mectizan®, donated by Merck.

River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is a parasitic infection that can cause intense itching, skin discoloration, rashes, and eye disease that often leads to permanent blindness. The parasite is spread by the bites of infected black flies that breed in rapidly flowing rivers.

In Africa, where more than 99 percent of the global cases exist, the Center and its partners have successfully broken river blindness transmission in Uganda and Sudan by providing twice per year Mectizan treatments. The successes have spurred river blindness elimination projects in Ethiopia and Nigeria.

In all our work, an emphasis is placed on building partnerships for change among international agencies, governments, nongovernmental organizations, corporations, national ministries of health, and most of all, with people at the grass roots. We help people acquire the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to transform their own lives, building a more peaceful and healthier world for us all.

Learn more about the Center's River Blindness Elimination Program:
https://www.cartercenter.org/health/river_blindness/index.html

Founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in partnership with Emory University, The Carter Center is committed to advancing human rights and alleviating unnecessary human suffering. The Center wages peace, fights disease, and builds hope worldwide.

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